Hate or Fear
by Wilhelmina Vandom
Summary: After believing everyone hates her and thinking she has lost everything loved Will breaks down as Phobos is checking out what is happening on Earth. A plan is formed to completely shatter her and get the Heart but does it backfire?
1. Chapter 1

Susan sighed happily as she dug her keys out of her purse for the apartment she shared with her teenage daughter. She felt a little bad about staying out all afternoon and evening but she left some money for Will to buy something to eat since she had to meet Dean at school for a conference and ended up going to dinner and a movie with him though a part of her mind kept hinting at something that she had forgotten which did damper the evening but it was still one of the best dates they had recently.

Finally finding the key she went to unlock the door but was shocked to find it already open since it was after ten at night. Will knew better than to leave the door unlocked that late at night when she was home alone. Pushing the door open she shook her head at seeing all the lights on wasting electricity.

Walking quietly into the house so not to wake Will up if the redhead was asleep. She heard something coming from the living room. Walking slowly into the room she found Will curled up on the couch wearing a black strapless formal gown and elbow length gloves. It looked like she had fallen asleep clutching a small piece of paper or tickets to something.

Moving closer to the sleeping girl Susan could make out fresh tear tracks on her face, the little bit of makeup having run from the looks of it. Feeling bad for whatever had caused her baby to cry Susan gently brushed the mop of red hair causing Will to mumble something in her sleep and her hand to open dropping two tickets to the ground. Curious Susan reached down to pick up the tickets she saw the price on them causing her jaw to drop, each one had cost seventy five dollars.

"_**Hey mom, will you go to the Mother Daughter fundraiser at the end of the month with me? It's a dinner and the tickets proceeds go to research for breast cancer." Will asked, "I'll pay for the tickets, I'll save my pay from the pet shop."**_

"_**Of course honey but let me help." Susan replied smiling, happy that her daughter wanted to do something with her like this. They haven't been spending much time together lately and this sounded like their perfect quality time plus it would be for a good cause.**_

"_**Nope, I want to do this." Will said smiling when Susan agreed to it, "I know I haven't exactly been very easy to deal with lately mom and I want to do something nice for you."**_

"_**If your sure honey but don't go overboard." Susan agreed reluctantly.**_

Apparently she did go overboard, the tickets ranged from ten to seventy five dollars Susan had found out. The cheaper tickets were just for a cheap meal and reserved seating at the large tables that as going to be set up. The seventy five dollar tickets were in short supply as there was only twenty of them, ten mother and ten daughter tickets for ten private booths and a choice from the buffet or any meal off the menu as well as a framed picture of mother and daughter.

"_**Don't forget about the dinner tomorrow mom." Will smiled as Susan kissed the redhead goodnight before replying happily.**_

"_**Of course not honey, I wouldn't miss it for the world." Susan smiled, turning out the light, "Sweet dreams baby."**_

"_**Night mom." Will replied in the darkness.**_

Susan couldn't believe that she had forgotten something this important to her daughter. She must have been the worst mother ever, in fact she really didn't originally plan to stay out all evening but Dean kept flirting with her at the conference which she had to wonder if it was just an excuse to have her come by since it wasn't even anything important. He had just said that Will was making progress in getting her grades up a little.

Will must have had to save up a month worth of her pay as she only worked a few hours a night and was off on weekends as Mister Olsen had insisted that she spend the weekends being a kid, hang out with her friends and catch up on her homework if needed. He paid her thirty to forty dollars a week depending on how long she worked though Susan suspected that he gave Will more money than she worked for because the man had once admitted he liked spoiling Will as she seemed like the granddaughter he always wanted. Still, Susan knew for a fact that Will worked hard at the store to earn her money so never really brought it up.

"What time is it?" Will asked before sitting up.

"It's a past ten Will, I'm so sorry." Susan sighed.

"Where were you?" Will asked angrily.

"Honey, please, I really…" Susan got out before being shut up by her daughters angry yet very hurt glare.

"Where. Were. YOU?" Will snapped, punctuating each word and nearly yelling the last as she got up from the couch with a little limp. It looked like Will's leg had fallen asleep after sleeping on the couch like that.

"I had dinner with Dean." Susan sighed, "Will, I'm sorry…"

"Don't, don't even start." Will said as new tears started streaming down her face, "All I asked was just one night but you couldn't even give me that."

"Will." Susan sighed reaching out toward the younger girl only to have her hands slapped away.

"If you didn't want to go all you had to do was say so!" Will sobbed, "I saved for a month before asking you and buying the tickets! I was looking forward to this for TWO months!"

"Will, stop acting like a child!" Susan snapped and paled at the look on the redhead's face. She would have preferred anger, hatred or even a hurt expression to the one that looked like her baby girl was dead on the inside. What the hell was that, of course Will was a child, she was Susan's child and baby but the way the older woman acted lately sure didn't seem like it.

"Geeze, I'm sorry Missus Vandom, if you will excuse me I think I'm going to bed!" Will said coldly, stiffly turning away to walk from the living room. By the time Susan got over her shock Will was already in her room with the door locked.

"Will, please open this door." Susan begged, her own tears forming at the pain she caused her daughter. Susan listened for any reply but the only noises coming from the room was the loud heart wrenching sobs emanating from the emotionally destroyed redhead on the other side of the barrier. Leaning back against the door Susan slid to the ground pulling her knees to her chest and crying herself at what she did, at her own selfishness and stupidity. She knew she loved her daughter but ever since coming to Heatherfield it seemed like a rift formed between them and slowly grew driving the mother and daughter farther and farther apart.

"Will, please answer me." Susan begged turning a little and leaning against the door. "I'm sorry, please talk to me!"

After the absence of yet another reply Susan began thinking about how this wasn't even the first time she screwed up since getting together with Dean. Time and time again Susan had either forgotten plans or outright canceled them to be with him. True, a lot of the times mother and daughter were having problems but it was Susan's responsibility to try and fix the problems instead of making them worse by running to Dean to be comforted while she either left Will alone with no one to go to or straight up grounded her not even giving her the chance even if she did have someone.

It was at that moment that Susan had an epiphany, her daughter didn't hate the fact that she was seeing Dean. Will was afraid of losing her mother which was what was happening and the only person to blame, despite the aggression Will showed toward Dean, was Susan herself. This was all Susan's fault and some how, some way she had to make it right.

NOTES

Kind of a sad story but one I might continue showing Will's struggle with the growing depression caused from not only her mother but the constant stress and hostility from Cornelia. Speaking of that, this takes place in the cartoon universe around the time Elyon is first taken to Meridian except for one difference, Susan is already openly dating Dean Collins.

If I get enough reviews showing interest in this kind of story I'll continue it starting with Will's side to this chapter. Question is, would anyone be interested in this kind of story?


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing could ruin the girl's mood who was stuffing everything in her locker as she had spent every minute she had free that day working as hard as she could to get all her homework done so she could concentrate on tonight. Nothing could kill Will's mood as she closed the locker finally, nothing could, not even a certain blonde who was having a tantrum over what happened with Elyon.

It wasn't Will's fault though as Yan Lin had even said, the redhead did her best to do what she thought was right. At first Will was very upset about the whole situation taking Cornelia's words to heart but Yan Lin and the woman's granddaughter Hay Lin had managed to cheer Will up and convince her that wasn't anything else that could have been done as telling Elyon could have only complicated things which was what Will was worried about to begin with.

Will did understand where the blonde guardian was coming from though and did her best to not let Cornelia's rants bother her as much as they did at first though some did get to her. Especially when Cornelia had said, 'No wonder your own mother prefers spending time with your teacher than you!' Will could see the apologetic look in the other girl's eyes as soon as she said it though Cornelia didn't say it. It did hurt but Will did her best to ignore it as tonight proved that her mother loved her.

She had saved for a couple months for both the tickets and the black evening gown Will would be wearing to the dinner tonight for the Breast Cancer Fundraiser with her mother. Will had bought the most expensive package as she was so excited to be doing something this major with her mother as well as trying to make up for all the fights they had been having lately. Tonight she was planning to tell her mother she approved of Dean and give her blessing to her mother for seeing the man.

"Oh god, guess what Cornelia has!" Hay Lin cried happily as the other four guardians joined Will just as she was starting to walk away from her locker while the blonde was trying to silence her. "She has five front row and back stage passes to tonight's VMJ concert!!"

"It's going to be so cool, Will!" Taranee said excitedly though no where near as hyper as the Asian girl was.

"I can't believe I'm going to meet VMJ in person!" Irma said happily, "You can come, can't you?"

"No, she can't!" Cornelia snapped angrily, "I told you I'm taking my friends."

"Will is our friend." Taranee said turning to Cornelia a little angrily.

"I'd rather take a Grumper before her!" Cornelia snarled pointing at Will.

"If you don't take her then I'm not going either!" Hay Lin said visibly upset. Will herself was a little hurt by it herself as when they announced the tickets and Cornelia taking them but when Cornelia made her intentions clear it crushed those hopes to dust as the blonde glared hatefully at Will.

"It's okay Hay Lin, I already had plans tonight anyways." Will sighed trying her best not to show the hurt that she didn't think was possible a few minutes earlier.

"What kind of plans could you have that is possibly more important than VMJ?" Irma asked in shock shooting Cornelia an angry glance, "I'm sure we can convince her royal bitchness to give up one of her tickets."

"Three words, Breast Cancer Fundraiser." Will said causing Irma to smack her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"Ah man, I forgot that was tonight!" Irma whined, "I promised my dad I'd go with Anna to it."

"Why would your mother even want to spend time with you?" Cornelia growled angrily at the redhead but gulped when four pairs of angry eyes turned to her.

"I'd love to stay and continue this," Will said swallowing the lump in her throat, "But I have to go get ready. Guess I'll se you there Irma."

"Yeah, see you there Will." Irma called after the rapidly retreating redhead before turning on Cornelia. "I can't believe you, has that bleach you use on your hair killed all of your brain cells?"

"I don't bleach my hair!" Cornelia snarled glaring at Irma.

"Could have fooled me, bleach for brains! Can't you see what you are doing to her? She's out friend!" Irma snapped, Hay Lin and Taranee getting ready to break the two girls apart f they started getting physical. "Damn it Corny, she did everything she could! Will never asked for all this crap to be dumped on her."

"Neither did I but I'm dealing Irmie!" Cornelia snapped, "It's her fault Elyon was kidnapped!"

"Little louder, I don't think the FBI heard you!" Irma growled cracking her knuckles.

"Elyon was my best friend!" Cornelia growled as tears started falling from her eyes making a trail down her cheeks. "She was my sister and…God I'm so worried about her. Who knows what those things are doing to her!"

"Oh Cornelia." Irma sighed, pulling the sobbing girl into a hug. "We are all worried about Elyon but it isn't helping attacking Will like you do. She's worried to and what you said…"

"Was out of line." Cornelia sniffed, talking softly with regret in her voice, "I…I don't mean to be so mean to her but…I can't help myself. I get so angry and I guess she's the easiest target to blame for it."

"Cornelia, Will understands you are hurting right now but what you said about her mother was uncalled for. You know how scared she is of losing her." Hay Lin said softly squeezing the taller girl's shoulder as Taranee gave the two embracing girls a hug.

"We will get her back, Cornelia." Taranee said, "We just need to stick together."

"I…I know we will." Cornelia said pulling away from the group hug. "I guess I'll apologize to her in the morning."

"Good, we can beat Phobos if we stick together but if this fighting keeps up I don't know what will happen." Hay Lin sighed.

WITCH

Will noticed her mother's car parked in the parking lot of the school as she was leaving and was tempted to wait for her but decided to hurry home to get ready so Susan could have plenty of hot water to take a shower before getting ready herself. She could give Susan a little time with Dean before their plans this evening. Will knew Susan wouldn't forget this time, the redhead had reminded her the night before and again at breakfast. She had nothing to worry about and hopefully when she told her mother she was sorry for the hostilities toward Dean maybe their own relationship could be saved.

It was what was scaring her the most lately, she didn't really hate Dean but she hated the fact Susan went behind her back to see the man until Will caught them. After that Susan and Will had often gotten into stupid arguments ending with the older woman canceling plans with Will or grounding the redhead before taking off for the evening with Dean. While those times were helpful in sneaking to missions unnoticed it still hurt Will deeply. She was hoping that this night, the culmination of a little over two months of saving and planning could maybe help heal the forming rift.

It didn't take Will very long to make it home where she immediately tripped as soon as she got to the bathroom and proceeded to get cleaned up for her big night. She hated dressing up like she was planning to being an even bigger tomboy than Irma but wanted to look beautiful for the photo that they would take of the two which came with the most expensive tickets that Will had bought. She wanted this night to be perfect and she worked too hard and waited too long for it not to be.

Turning off the water and drying off Will dumped the towel into the hamper and wrapped another one around herself and a third one in her hair before heading to her room to get dressed. True it was a couple hours before they would have to leave but Will wanted plenty of time to get more practice walking in her worst enemy…Heels. True they were low heels but she still hated walking in the things as she more often fell or tripped than walked in them.

She had bought some black stockings as well to go with her strapless black formal gown and elbow length gloves which cost her a month's pay while the other moth's pay went to buying the tickets for tonight as she wanted to be the one to do something special for her mother.

She was also planning on wearing light makeup which wasn't something she enjoyed, it was too much of a hassle. Yet again she was going to do it to look her best for the mother daughter photo so they would both have a photo a piece of how fun this night was even if it was a pain in the ass to get ready for.

It took almost an hour to get dressed and to get her makeup to look perfect, following some of the advice she asked Irma's step mother for which did pay off. It was a little hard at first getting the lipstick to look right but by using a deeper shade of color on the outside corners of her lips and a lighter color with the same shade on the center made her lips look fuller even if she had to do it several times to get it looking just right.

If getting her lips just right wasn't hassle enough her eyes was the worst. She hated using the eyelash curler the most but she hated the rest just as much as she hated getting anything near her eyes like that for some reason. She usually hated even using visine and while that did go directly in the eye the mascara's brush and curler always made her flinch as a part of her was scared of jabbing it in her eye on accident. Pencils and crayons were just as bad too as they always bugged her and she was frankly glad that she didn't need contacts because she would never be able to wear them. Thankfully if she ever did need them there was always normal glasses, right?

After finally getting all her make up just right and making sure her gown looked good she slid her heels on before practicing with them. Standing up from her chair she slowly took a step making sure to step first on her heel before finally letting the sole follow smoothly before repeating the same with her other foot. It was a little hard as she was used to taking longer steps but with the heels she needed a shorter stride with smooth even steps while using her arms for balance.

"God I wish I could have just ten minutes alone with the bastard who made these things." Will grumbled as she slowly made her way across her room and back several times almost losing her balance several times but thankfully didn't fall. Her gown did have knee length slits but it was still different than wearing a pair of jeans which she was more used to. At least jeans didn't force your knees to stay this close together without making the slits even longer by accident.

Looking in the mirror it was hard to see the tomboy as a beautiful redheaded girl stared back but she felt foolish all the same. She felt like she was being put on display which was something she always hated and would much rather girls like Cornelia being on display as she thrived on the attention. Will hated the attention as that was all it was, attention to her body and not who she was. She wasn't a damn piece of meat for guys to gawk and leer at.

Hearing the watch on her counter beep she glided back to her desk and pulled open the jewelry box sitting there holding the very few things she had like that. Digging out a simple pair of silver studded earrings with a small diamond in each and put them in each ear before putting on a silver chain with a small cross on it. Next she took out a silver watch that looked more like a bracelet rather than her favorite Casio digital watch and slipped it on checking to make sure the hands were on the right hour and minutes as it wasn't digital like she preferred.

Getting up she went to her full length mirror one last time to make sure everything was okay as her mother should be getting home anytime to get ready herself. Looking at herself she hated to admit it but she was proud of how she looked, how beautiful she was which was something she often denied. She normally hid herself behind baggy clothes and loose fitting jeans and cargo pants rather than dresses and skirts and tight tops showing off her curves.

All she knew was that tonight was going to be perfect and she looked perfect for the occasion. Screw Cornelia, she knew her mother would come and the woman would be proud of Will and they would have a great night together. She was going to prove she was loved and was worth loving.

NOTES:

Sorry this took so long to get done but here is the first chappie for 'Hate or Fear,' the last one being kind of a prologue.

Fan: I decided t continue since all of you seem to like this story and I hope you continue enjoying it. Thankies.

Xfilesoc: Thankies, I decided to continue it thanks to all of you enjoying it.

James Brice: Thankies, I'm working on it as a full story now and I hope you enjoyed this update.

Philip Gipson: Thankies, I'm glad you liked it so far. I loved both the comics and show but I do agree with you, the voiced in the first season did seem a little off to me. Almost fake in a way. The second season seemed so much better and I really hope there will be a season three . Thankies, hope you enjoyed this update.


	3. Chapter 3

There was nothing on television to help take her mind off the agitation of waiting for her mother to finally get home. It was now six o'clock and Will was starting to worry just a little bit that maybe Susan may not make it home in time for the dinner. Her mother promised though and the redhead had faith in her mother and though time was ticking away the older woman still had time to make it home and change and still have just enough time to make it.

Cornelia wasn't right, Will's mother wanted tonight just as much as the redhead herself did. Susan loved her daughter, despite all the trouble the two Vandom women have been having lately they were a family. They would always be there for each other and Susan would be there for Will tonight, the redhead knew it.

Picking up the cordless phone from off the couch next to her for the third time in fifteen minutes Will worriedly dialed her mother's cell phone. She knew that her mother was going to answer, with each ring she told herself that Susan was going to pick up. Instead though she got the voice mail again.

"M-Mom…Are you okay? Where are you? Did you forget about m…Did you forget the dinner tonight?" Will asked choking a little as she fought back the tears that were threatening to spill and ruin the painstakingly applied make up. Hitting the end button Will hung up the phone and sat it next top her on the couch.

Picking up the remote Will started flipping through the channels again hoping beyond hope of finding something to take her mind off Cornelia's thoughtless words tonight. Truthfully if it was just tonight though Will would have been able to shrug it off but the blonde had said basically the same thing to her several times the last few days and a part of Will knew that Cornelia had meant it.

Will knew she was a screw up, she had always known it deep down though for the longest time she tried to prove she wasn't. Her father had left because of her, all the fights she remembered Tony and Susan having had been over Will. She couldn't remember exactly what they were about but she remembered them and she remembered Tony screaming something about Will being stupid.

If that wasn't enough to begin with there was her friends at Fadden Hills. Then again she guessed she never had friends there as they never liked her, they only felt sorry for her. Her parents were divorced, she was a pity project among the kids in her class and that was all. They got sick of it quick enough and sick of her.

Her father didn't want to hang around with her. Her old friends at Fadden Hills didn't want her around. And finally her friends here wished that she was never even born as it was her fault they had become guardians. All she was good for was causing people trouble and grief, after all look at Elyon. Will had wanted to protect Elyon and her parents from finding out thee truth as she was sure they would be safer that way and none of them would have to find out about this whole other frightening world.

Yeah, it turned out that Elyon's parents already knew as they were refugees from Meridian. The two had kidnapped Elyon top protect her from Phobos and thanks to Will not making a smart decision of going to them sooner the entire family was Phobos's prisoners in Meridian.

She completely botched that whole thing single handedly proving how bad of a screw up she was. Cornelia knew about it and Will was sure it was only a short amount of time before the other girls realized that also. The only reason they were probably friends anyways was the Heart. After all Cornelia didn't even want to be friends with Will to begin with, the blonde made that clear the first day when snapping at Hay Lin about inviting Will over.

"No!" Will cried out shaking her head. She refused to cry or think about this. Her mother loved her. SHE DID!

"Please mom, where are you?" Will whined hugging herself and leaning forward a little breathing a little heavily. "Please don't do this to me, please."

The phone ringing made Will cry out in surprise, smiling brightly as she picked up the handset. She knew her mother wasn't going to let her down, that was her now calling to let Will know she was on the way home right now. Susan probably had to get her hair done or something at the appointment took longer than it should have.

"Hey Will, you ready?" Irma's voice came over the phone crushing Will's spirits. It wasn't Susan after all but Irma, she should have known better. She had to have faith though, her mother really did care about her so she didn't have anything to worry about.

"Yeah, if I can just get used to these damned heels." Will said looking at the offensive footwear she kicked off next to her on the floor a little earlier.

"We're leaving in a few minutes." Irma said then whispered into the phone, "God Will, save me! She has me dressed up like some damned doll!"

"Come on, Irma, it can't be that bad." Will said laughing a little. Irma was her friend, she shouldn't let her imagination run wild like that. There were people who loved her though sometimes it was hard to see…Unless she was calling to flaunt her step mother caring more for her than Will's real mother did for the redhead.

"It is!" Irma whined, "God I don't want to go to this, I'd much rather be watching VMJ right now!"

"Come on, Irma, it'll be fun!" Will said smiling a little at Irma's antics.

"So are your mom and you wearing matching gowns?" Irma asked causing Will's smile to fall.

"She's not here yet, she's on her way now though." Will said hopefully.

"Cool, then I'll se you there." Irma said, "I have a little brother to kill right now."

"Yeah, se you there." Will murmured as the line went dead just after hearing Chris's scream of terror. Sighing Will tried dialing her mom's cell phone yet again and sadly only received the voice mail. "Mom, it's getting late please pick up. If you don't get home we'll never make it in time."

Sighing she threw the phone across the room before dropping her face in her hands. Taking several deep breaths she steeled herself and got her emotions under control before getting up and walking back to her room to make sure her make up was okay. Thankfully it was so she didn't have to worry about touching it up as it was a nightmare enough putting it on.

Dejectedly Will made her way back to the couch and tried once again to find something to watch and get her mind from everything as it was now fifteen minutes till seven. She knew that even if her mom made it home now it would make them run a little later than Will would have liked but they would still have plenty of time to enjoy the evening together.

She finally got her mind off worrying as the clock reached seven o'clock as she had managed to convince herself that Susan would be home any second. Landing on an episode of the Simpsons Will relaxed a little and started watching it though and finally let herself be drawn into the episode for a few minutes. It wasn't long though as she looked at the clock again noticing it saying seven fifteen when it advertised.

Susan wasn't coming…She would have been there by now if she was. The phone started ringing again causing Will to jump a little at the sudden noise before hurrying across the room to retrieve the phone from where she threw it a few minutes ago. She tried hitting the talk button to pick up as she walked back over the couch and froze as she realized it wasn't working. She screwed up again and broke the phone.

"Vandom's residence, leave a message at the beep." Susan's voice came from the base where there was a built in digital answering machine. "Hey honey, my cell phone isn't working so I wanted to call and tell you I'll be late tonight. A few things came up that I have to talk to Dean about but I have some money in the cabinet above the fridge you can use to order a pizza. I'll see you when I…"

The message stopped when Will screamed as loud as she could after throwing the phone at the base throwing it off the stand it was on. Susan had chosen him over her again! And tonight of all nights!

Dropping to the couch Will curled up on it pulling the tickets she had out of where the were sticking out of the top of her gown and clutched them to her chest. Two months of saving, two months of planning and two months of hopes all destroyed because Susan cared more about Dean than her own daughter. Cornelia was right all along and Susan didn't care about Will. Why would the older woman want to spend an evening with a screw up when she could spend it with Dean Collins?

She started sobbing as she realized she had no one left, everyone she had ever cared for her had left her. She probably deserved it though, it would explain why it kept happening. She was a nothing in everyone's eyes and truthfully in her own eyes as well.

Will yawned a little as she realized she had cried herself to sleep before noticing her mother kneeling there looking at the tickets that she must have taken from the redhead. There was a sad look in the woman's eyes but Will couldn't take it, she couldn't take the lies that Susan was sure to make up. The simple truth was Will didn't deserve anyone's love, she never did. She was worthless…She wouldn't pretend otherwise any more, she didn't have the strength. She wouldn't let anyone else lull her into a sense of love as she didn't deserve it and every time the people around her realized it the pain that followed was always too much. If she didn't give them the chance then they couldn't hurt her again. Never again.

"What time is it?" Will mumbled looking up at the woman.

"It's a past ten Will, I'm sorry." Susan sighed. Will mentally laughed, the woman was sorry. That was some sick joke, Susan wasn't sorry and Will wouldn't buy it.

"Where were you?" Will asked shaking her head, cursing herself for even bothering. She knew exactly where Susan was.

"Honey, please, I really…" Susan said softly, her eyes pleading.

Where. Were. YOU?" Will snarled angrily. Practically screaming at the woman.

"I had dinner with Dean…Will, I'm sorry…" Susan sighed. Translation, Will saved and planned for two months, had hoped for two months looking forward to this only to have the woman throw it back in her face how worthless the redhead was. She wasn't even important enough to consider how much trouble she had gone through for tonight, how much work she put into it.

"Don't! Don't even start!" Will cried, not caring about her make up any more as it seemed pointless. Hell, she probably already ruined it earlier as she faintly remembered crying herself to sleep. "All I asked for was one single night and you couldn't even give me that."

"Will." Susan said softly reaching out to her daughter only to have her hands smacked away.

"If you didn't want to go all you had to do was say so!" Will sobbed, shaking her head. At least if Susan had just told her instead of pulling this stunt Will wouldn't be in so much pain. "I saved for a month before asking you and buying the tickets! I was looking forward to this for TWO months!"

"Will, stop acting like a child!" Susan blurted out, obviously upset. She was a child though, she was supposed to be the woman's daughter and Susan was supposed to be there for her but she wasn't. Her mother had abandoned her just like her father had. Sure Susan was standing there but that was all she was doing, all she ever did. For all intent and purposes Will knew her mother had left her for Dean.

"Geeze, I'm sorry Missus Vandom, if you will excuse me I think I'm going to bed!" Will said coldly, swallowing her emotions trying to keep from breaking down. She turned from the shocked expression on the woman's face and walked to her room shutting and locking the door behind her. Yeah, she was really loved as the woman really fought to comfort her. Just like always…

"Will, please open this door." Susan called as Will numbly walked to her bed and dropped into it. Taking a pillow she shoved her face into it and let out a scream muffling it. She started shaking violently as she sobbed loudly into the pillow, "Will, please answer me." Susan begged turning a little and leaning against the door. "I'm sorry, please talk to me!"

Will refused to give in though, she wouldn't answer the woman and open herself to any more pain. She didn't know what she was going to do as she curled up as she continued crying. She refused to let herself be hurt by anyone ever again and was actually thinking about the bottles of medicine in her desk. It would be so easy to take those all and just end everything but she couldn't bring herself to get up. She eventually cried herself asleep for the second time that night.

NOTES

Wow, I didn't think I was going to get this chappie done quite this quickly but I'm having trouble writing anything else for the moment so took a break from A Chance for Happiness and worked on this though Chance will be the next update I work on, thankies.

Philip Gipson: Your welcome, glad you liked it. She's going through a lot but she wanted to fix things with her mom because she was so afraid of losing her but sadly it didn't work out. Sorries, it doesn't look like things will get much better for everyone's fave redhead anytime soon in this story. Will is my favorite character in Witch, well technically Will and Susan are my two faves and I love stories based on them, a mother daughter relationship. I normally love a good relationship with them and I have no idea where the idea for this story came from as I hate seeing them this torn apart. I might start a C2 based solely on Will Susan stories. (No, not romantic pairings…ewwwwww…But mother daughter relationship stories.) I may write a story based on one of the other girls some time in the future though.


	4. Chapter 4

Sighing in disgust Will slammed the brush down on her dresser after she had sneaked to the bathroom and showered and back to her room to get dressed for school. She wasn't sure why she was bothering with school but she didn't want to stay here with Missus Vandom. She couldn't call the woman mother anymore as that would be admitting to actually having one which she didn't and the sooner she got used to the fact the better. There was already too much pain between them already and the sooner both of them got used to their new roles the better.

What new roles Will wasn't sure yet though she knew as much as she wanted to blame the woman somewhere else in the apartment she couldn't. It was Will's own fault for being the pathetic girl she was always screwing up and causing others grief. From her father to her friends at Fadden Hills to now Cornelia and Susan and surely very soon to the other girls. Will was the reason they left her and hurt her and she refused to let it happen anymore. She had to distance herself from the other guardians except for business which would soon be over for her soon as well.

After all, how long could the Oracle leave the Heart of Candracar in her, a screw ups incapable hands? The longer she held the Heart the more risk everyone was in as she always had a feeling she wouldn't be able to step up as a leader or guardian but she had hoped that just maybe for once she could succeed but she was already failing. She had single handedly caused the entire situation with Elyon by insisting on keeping the princess in the dark about everything. Some plan, Elyon now knew and sided with Phobos thinking Will and the others were the ones in the wrong and while the girl may have been right about Will she wasn't about the others.

Cornelia had every right to be upset as she was and Will was beginning to understand why the blonde hated her so much. True the redhead couldn't really pinpoint the reason she knew it was there. How could so many different people be wrong after all? If it was one or two maybe Will could have argued it but it wasn't just a few it was her entire world, her entire family.

"What am I thinking?" Will asked herself angrily as tears started forming in the already sore, red puffy eyes. She wasn't sure if the soreness was caused from crying so much or the fact she woke up looking like a raccoon this morning after Anna had specifically warned her about sleeping with the make up on. "I don't have a family…I never even deserved one."

Will wiped at her eyes sadly before gathering her courage and taking a deep breath before throwing her bedroom door open. She marched with as much strength and dignity she could as she didn't want to show any weakness in front of the woman she found cooking breakfast in the kitchen.

"Will, I cooked your favorite breakfast." Susan said, an exhausted look on her face as she turned toward the redhead. It was easy to se that the older woman had ben crying most of the night as well but Will refused to acknowledge it as it would mean breaking down again. She had to be strong as it was best for both of them, to keep Susan from feeling to guilty over something that wasn't the woman's fault as well as to keep Will from going through any more pain by giving into the temptations of living the lie that the woman had some kind of misplaced feelings of love for a worthless daughter.

"I'm sorry Missus Vandom, I'm leaving for school a little early so I make it on time." Will said coldly, summoning all her strength to keep from crying. She wouldn't give in to it no matter how much she wanted to. There wasn't any point in crying over something that was never there anyways, over something she never had. The woman standing before the redhead gave birth to her, that was it. It was a mistake that should have never happened and since it did it led to lie after lie causing both of them nothing but grief and pain.

"Will, please talk to me." Susan said, tears falling freely as she wasn't afraid to cry. Will knew the reason behind the tears though, they were over guilt not the misguided love Will wanted so much but knew she didn't deserve. "I'm sorry, I know I screwed up but I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, I'm not worth it." Will said hurrying out the door, running around the corner the opposite way of the elevator where Susan would have went looking if the woman followed which Will doubted. Will ran down the emergency stair well heading to the bottom with tears trailing behind her.

WITCH

Susan had ran after her daughter but the redhead was already gone by the time she made it to the elevator. She didn't care who was standing there as she hugged herself tightly sinking to the floor sobbing hysterically over what she had caused inadvertently. She loved her daughter but she didn't know how to relate to the girl. She had tried so hard but only ended up into fights with her and Susan grounding her over them. Susan had done the only thing she could have by going to the only person she knew her own age for advice which had then led them to getting closer. She realized too late that instead of going to Dean for that advice and comfort she should have been going to Will and talking to her, comforting the redhead and in turn herself.

She didn't though, she had screwed up royally and she knew it. The worst part was that a part of her knew she could never make it up to Will either, she had lost her baby girl and the only one she could blame was herself.

WITCH

The walk to school seemed like it took forever but in fact only took a few minutes as Will walked by a multitude of students ignoring all of them even though some had called out greetings to her. She wasn't interested in those fake greetings and false smiles though as she knew that none of them cared about her. To be frank with herself, not a damned one of them gave a rat's ass about her. No one did and the sooner she accepted it the better. She knew she kept telling her that but she had to, she kept wanting to believe that some of them did care.

Walking onto the campus she spotted the girls all huddled under their tree…No, under their tree minus Will's as the redhead never belonged with them. They only ever accepted her because of the Heart.

"_Why did you invite new girl?"_

Will still remembered that as if it just happened moments ago, the first words Will had heard the blonde say though the redhead knew they were not meant to be overheard. Cornelia had never wanted to be her friend, she always found faults with Will and though the redhead often disputed them deep down she knew they were all true.

"Will, over here!" Irma had called waving her arms in the air in a silly manner which would have normally gotten a small smile from the redhead. There wasn't any reason to smile though, not when you realized that in reality no one cared about you and no one would even miss you if you were dead. And the sad part was that they would probably be happy if she was dead, a lot better off without her around to complicate things.

Deciding it would be better to just ignore them Will continued up the path to the front entrance only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Spinning around Will found the worried looks of four girls, the blonde's hand on her shoulder.

"Will, about yesterday…" Cornelia started as Will pushed her hand away.

"Stop, you were right." Will sighed, tears trying to build as she valiantly fought them back even if it was growing more and more difficult to do so. Whoever said the more you acted the easier it became was full of it. "You were right all along, Corny. Who would want to hang out with a worthless screw up like me?"

"Will!" Cornelia gasped in shock.

"You aren't worthless!" Hay Lin cried out.

"You aren't a screw up!" Irma added at the same time.

"Will, what's wrong?" Taranee asked.

"Nothing, I just realize my place is all." Will sighed, "It's something I should have done long ago."

"Will, what's wrong?" Irma asked reaching towards Will who backed away, "Is this about last night? Why you didn't come?"

"Don't act like you all care!" Will snapped spinning away and almost running inside in her hurry to get away from the girls. She just wanted some peace, if she wanted people pretending they cared she would have stayed at home with the worst one at that.

Walking stiffly to her locker she quickly opened the door to it and grabbed the books she needed for the first few classes before hurrying towards her first one hoping to avoid the girls. She was actually starting to wish that she just skipped the day as it would have been much easier dealing with everything that way.

"Will, can I talk to you for a moment?" Dean asked as she was passing his classroom. He didn't have any classes first thing and his classroom was empty which is where he led Will into despite her mind screaming to just walk away.

"Will, would you mind explaining why I got a call from your mother a few minutes ago with her barely being understandable as she couldn't stop crying?" Dean asked with a little anger in his voice.

"Look, just leave me alone, okay?" Will said while looking away from the man not wanting to see his smug look as she told him. "You won, you finally took everything I had left…Not that I ever really had it to begin with."

"Will, what are you talking about?" Dean asked, a hint of worry in his voice. Will shook her head as she realized it was for Susan not her, the redhead knew better than to think anyone was worried about her.

"Take care of her, she deserves to be happy." Will sighed, knowing it was true. It wasn't the woman's fault that Will was a failure. "If you hurt her though I swear I'll make you suffer a thousand times more than I am."

"What's going on?" Dean asked moving towards Will who turned and fled out the door before he could get to her.

NOTES

Figured that was the best place to stop this chappie and hope everyone enjoyed it, thankies.

Philip Gipson: Thankies and your welcome, hope you enjoyed this one also. I love it and that's why most of my stories will be based around a good relationship between them. Sadly this one isn't one of them at the moment though it may get better but sadly it could get worse. I agree with you on that and if you want to read more of the Witch comics check out Mooncloud's site which I have a link on my homepage too. I'll have to check out Witchlover's stories, thankies.

Aesop: Thankies, I'm trying to make sure that they are thought out well without over doing them too much except for Will who is sinking farther and farther into depression while trying to make sense of everything and protect herself from anymore pain.


	5. Chapter 5

"Look at this Cedric." Phobos said with a small smirk formed on his cruel lips as he watched his scrying pool as a certain redhead fled from the school she was supposed to be attending.

"What is going on, my lord?" Cedric asked, looking into the pool confused.

"Do you see how she runs from her problems, her supposed friends as if she has lost everything?" Phobos said, his smirk growing more as the perfect plan for not only making the guardians suffer without lifting a finger as well as gaining the Heart of Candracar. "While I admit to not knowing all that has transpired the pain in the girl's eyes is evident and from what I've seen she has convinced herself that she is alone in the world. It will be child's play to grab her now since she is running from school and her friend's are stuck there for the rest of the day."

"So you want me to eliminate the girl?" Cedric asked, forming a grin of his own as his eyes danced in excitement.

"No, I want her brought here unharmed." Phobos smiled, "Make the girl's friends think that she had run away while we bring her here and convince her that she is alone…Except for us. If we convince her that we accept her we may be able to get her to freely hand over the Heart to me with all of its powers."

"My Lord, I don't mean to question you but what if Elyon finds out that Will is here?" Cedric asked a little worry seeping into his voice.

"Relax old friend, I am counting on Elyon finding her here." Phobos said turning back to the pool to enjoy the pouring tears of the redhead as she finds an alley not far from Cedric's now abandoned book store. While the inversion point in the back storage room was destroyed thanks to the guardians there was still the one in the basement.

"B-But…" Cedric started.

"I have everything all under control my dear Cedric, just retrieve the girl before she has time to rejoin the others." Phobos said waving the man off, "It will be so easy which almost makes it a shame. It will be nice to watch the guardians suffer and when I finish with their leader…Lets just say that the girl doesn't know what true pain is yet."

"Of course my Lord, I'll leave right away." Cedric said bowing a little before stalking off after his prey leaving Phobos to watch the sobbing girl collapsed in the alley in sobs. Phobos did have to wander what had caused the redhead so much pain as she seemed the strongest of the five girls. She seemed to have the self confidence the others lacked but looking into those eyes…The same sad eyes she always had made him wonder if all of that bravado the girl showed was just all an act.

It didn't really make sense though as to why she would be putting on an act like that. Then again he knew all too well the stress of leadership can cause and the need to keep a strong front at all times, even when it was the most difficult to. It would actually be fun to se how much he could play with this girl's heart, how far he could push her before she completely shattered.

If he wasn't planning on letting her go in the end just to show the guardians the broken shell that he had made their precious leader he mused that she might actually make a good slave. She was strong and could help a lot in the kitchen or other chores around the castle as his sister would if she didn't die from him draining her powers when they reached their peak.

Looking her body up and down as she shook with sobs, laying there in the alley he had to admire her form. She was, as he found out recently, just past sixteen which was actually how old most girls were in Meridian when they wed. Or in this case, as some had become, more than simple servants to the ones who owned indentured servants. She was a very beautiful girl and had filled out nicely due to actually eating and living a healthy life. She might make a decent slave for his men as some of them had been becoming restless lately. He even caught one trying to force a child servant to do something which Phobos tool great pleasure in showing all his men what happened to sick bastards like that.

One of the few things that sickened Phobos was the people who took younger ones, girls no more than a mere child and forced them to do those kinds of things. Unlike the slaves Phobos took for defying him the Prince gave out much harsher punishment to those people. He enjoyed actually publicly flaying their skin off them slowly making them scream and writhe in pain. It was a great show that stood to warn others not to try something like that.

It wasn't because he had a soft heart, it was far from that. It was because as evil as he was that there were just some things that got to him. He never could figure out why and there were numerous rumors to why he was so harsh on people breaking those laws.

Taking a last look at the redhead he shook his head, he wouldn't do that to her. Sure he would enjoy breaking her spirit but something was stopping him from going any farther. He knew he couldn't let any of his men lay a finger on her body and violate her, for some reason it just wouldn't be right. He angrily shook his head as he started having doubts about the whole thing, he would go through with his plan. He would break her spirit and take what was his in the Heart of Candracar as well as the power of the Heart of Meridian.

WITCH

Will couldn't believe she had fled from school like she did as it would make Susan angry for sure as that seemed to be the only time the woman paid any attention to the redhead anymore. She didn't care though, she couldn't stay there and have everyone watch her breaking down which she was doing now. She had collapsed in a filthy alley, not even caring about it or no longer caring if anyone saw her sobbing loudly.

"Well, you weren't very difficult to find." A male voice said, his voice soft, almost melodious as it held a trace of victory. Will shook a little as she hoped for it, prayed to herself for the man to finish her off. She knew who it was without looking up as she knew the voice anywhere as belonging to Phobos's right hand snake Cedric.

"Just get it over with." Will choked out as she finally sat up a little straighter to look up at him, tears still falling heavily causing him to look taken aback before he reached toward her making Will sigh in relief. She wouldn't have to feel the pain anymore as she would finally be put out of her misery,

"Wh-what are you doing?" Will gasped as the man gently lifted her bridal style, letting her rest her head against his chest. She looked up to see a slightly blushing man holding her carefully, treating her as if she would shatter into a million pieces if he was too rough with her. The way she was feeling she wasn't too sure if that was impossible or not as her heart already had been broken.

"Prince Phobos asked me to come and get you, he saw you and was worried about your safety in your current condition." Cedric said causing Will to shake a little more as she buried her face in the man's chest as he carried her out of the alley, the rhythmic motion actually gentle and calming as he walked.

"Great, so he saw how pathetic I am." Will asked, angry at herself. "I guess he wants to kill me himself."

"Actually, he doesn't want to hurt you." Cedric replied, shifting her weight in his arms as he reached out to open a door somewhere. Carefully Will craned her neck to se the book shop that he had posed as the owner of not long ago.

"Yeah right." Will scoffed, she knew better than that. She was actually looking forward to it as she was too much of a coward to kill herself and she frankly didn't care what Phobos did as long as it involved ending her miserable existence.

"Child, I basically raised his highness and I know him better than he knows himself." Cedric smirked, the smirk actually reaching into his voice. "I know he isn't planning on hurting you."

"Tell me another one." Will sighed, "The only reason I'm not making a purse out of you is I'm counting on what he's going to do to me."

"Really child?" Cedric asked walking down some stairs, descending into darkness scaring Will despite herself. She may have wanted to die but that didn't take the fear away of what would happen to her after she died and how it would happen. She was sure it would hurt but seriously didn't care much about it believing what ever the man could do to her would pale in comparison to the pain she was already feeling.

"Tell me something, lizard lips, do you have any idea what its like to lose everything you love?" Will asked quietly just before she felt lightheaded a moment before realizing they were no longer in the darkened basement but standing in a stone room with torches hanging on the walls.

"Truthfully child, yes I have. All of us have lost stuff we cared about but how we deal with it is what defines us." Cedric said surprising Will a little as he seemed kind, almost caring. "People don't make us who we are, we make ourselves who we are. Just remember that child."

"Whatever…" Will said as she couldn't help thinking that over. What the hell was up with this man anyways? They were enemies and he almost seemed like he was trying to comfort her.

"Oh my god, is that Will?" Elyon's voice gasped causing Will to clutch Cedric's shirt even tighter as she didn't want anyone else seeing her like this.

"I think she needs someone to talk to, your highness and a chance to freshen up before seeing the Prince." Cedric said smiling gently at the princess, "Do you think Miranda and yourself could help her a little bit?"

"Sure Cedric." A strange, unfamiliar feminine voice said as Will felt herself lowered to her feet.

"Will, what happened?" A timid but very worried princess asked taking Will's hand. The redhead tried to pull away but Elyon refused to let go.

"What do you care?" Will asked angrily, though she wasn't sure if it was from Cedric not taking her to Phobos to meet the fate she was hoping for or if it was from being humiliated at Cedric leaving her in the broken state she was with someone who was just as bad as Cornelia when it came to hating the redhead.

"Will, I admit that we weren't ever very close but I never hated you." Elyon sighed, "I was jealous that…That Matt liked you so much and ignored me."

"You have to be kidding me? Matt doesn't want someone like me." Will sniffed, using her free hand to wipe her eyes a little.

"Come on, Will, lets get you cleaned up and out of those filthy clothes then we can talk some." Elyon said dragging a struggling redhead along with her and another girl with long, black hair.

NOTES

A little different from my original plans for this story but hopefully everyone likes the twist in the story here.

Philip Gipson: Welcomies and thankies. She is going to have a hard time before her but as to what her final fate will be is still yet to be seen It must be hard though being in her place. Another of my fave stories which I may write a fusion with KP and Witch sometime in the future as I have a basic plotline worked out for it and a little work done on it. I always felt so bad for Ron in that movie and was actually happy that Eric was a synthodrone in the end as it got Kim and Ron together. Thankies, I try to because Will is my fave character in Witch and I believe she is a tortured soul like you said even in the comics and cartoon, though less so in the cartoon than comics.


End file.
